2026 FIFA World Cup His Last, Confirms Ronaldo

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final World Cup of his illustrious career, but expressed hope that Portugal's Round of 16 clash against Spain on Monday will not be his last international appearance.

The 41-year-old made the announcement during a pre-match press conference ahead of one of the tournament's most anticipated knockout fixtures.

'This is my last World Cup, but not my last match'

Speaking to reporters, Ronaldo said he wanted to savour every moment of the tournament while remaining focused on Portugal's quest for the title.

"I want to enjoy every moment of this tournament because it is true that this will be my last World Cup. But I sincerely hope tomorrow's match will not be my last in the competition."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has featured in all four of Portugal's matches at the tournament and has scored three goals.

Ronaldo dismisses retirement speculation

Ronaldo also expressed frustration at repeated questions about his retirement, insisting that only he would decide when to bring his career to an end.

"I will retire when I decide to retire, not when others want me to. There's no point asking me the same question repeatedly. My focus is entirely on tomorrow's match."

The veteran forward said Portugal had travelled to the tournament with genuine ambitions of lifting the World Cup.

"We are not here just to participate. We are here to win the World Cup. If we didn't believe we could win it, we wouldn't be here. We have improved with every match."

Reflecting on his own form, Ronaldo added with a smile:

"I'm not playing that badly. I've scored three goals. Other players have scored more because they've been excellent. Let's see whether I can score again tomorrow."

Portugal face unbeaten Spain

Portugal booked their place in the Round of 16 after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring the winning goal in stoppage time.

Under coach Roberto Martínez, Portugal are aiming to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament for the first time in the nation's history.

Spain, meanwhile, head into the tie unbeaten after defeating Austria 3-0 to secure their place in the knockout stage.

Luis de la Fuente's side also became the first team since Germany at the 2014 World Cup to prevent their opponents from registering a single shot on target in a World Cup knockout match.

Memories of 2018 showdown

The two European heavyweights last met at the FIFA World Cup in 2018, when they played out a memorable 3-3 draw, with Ronaldo scoring a stunning hat-trick.

Monday's encounter could become another defining chapter in Ronaldo's World Cup journey as the Portuguese captain looks to extend his farewell campaign.